Inhumanoids- The Evil Below
by Courier999
Summary: When ancient monsters awake, they seek our destruction. Opposing them is a team known as the Earth Corps, an organization of scientists and soldiers alike with advanced technology. But will these be enough to ensure human survival? Rated T for language, very scary content, and violence. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

INHUMANOIDS: The Evil Below

_Inhumanoids_ and related characters are property of Hasbro.

Chapter 1: The Monster In The Monolith

The smell of coast redwood filled the air as the news helicopter flew by. Below was a man in a large green suit of powered armor, posing before a 15-story high chunk of amber and speaking into a reporter's microphone.

"Dr. Armstrong-"

"Call me Herc." the man replied.

"Well, Herc. Since you and the Earth Corps have taken this spectacular find, can you give a definitive answer to some questions? Such as reports by the campers who found the monolith that stated that it was glowing? Or that it contains the remnants of some ancient dinosaur?"

"Miss Walker, I can neither confirm nor deny such reports at the present time. My associates will need to run further tests to see what this thing is."

"What are your personal thoughts on the find?"

"It's not a hoax, as far as I'm concerned. But there's something off about this one."

"Explain."

"Preliminary tests indicate that our monolith here is about two and a half million years old, and I'm pretty sure there weren't dinosaurs running around at that point."

Meanwhile, the entity within the monolith stirred. Bound by the petrified resins, it could do nothing but scream. Its screams were not acoustic in their nature, but psychic. Telepathic cries focused on a fellow beast, as eldritch and inhuman as the one within the monolith.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Creature from the Ground

TERRANCE OIL FIELD, CALIFORNIA:

The blare of sirens filled the air as EMTs rushed around the remnants of one of the derricks. Where it had once stood, there was now nothing but twisted metal, torn apart as if by a giant. Near the wreckage stood a man in a dark blue vest, with an eyepatch over his right eye.

"Mr. Shore-"

"Blackthorne, Miss Bell. Call me Blackthorne."

"Okay, Blackthorne. According to eyewitnesses, you allegedly gave the workers on the rig orders to drill down to two miles. Upon the drill reaching that depth, a 20 to 30 foot tall Cthulhu-like monster emerged from the shaft. Any comments?"

Blackthorne Shore inaudibly gulped at the question.

"Mr. Shore, do you have any comment to make regarding the eyewitness accounts?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny their stories. However, I offer my condolences to the friends and family of those who died when the rig was destroyed."

As the cameras turned away, Blackthorne sighed in relief. He had upheld his masquerade once more.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: First Encounter

SHORE MUSEUM

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA:

The amber monolith sat on a large pedestal outside the museum proper. At the base of the pedestal stood a podium.

"Allow me to introduce our first guest of honor. You may know her from her generous contributions to our city's parks and to the advancement of science. It is my immense pleasure to introduce Sandra Shore, benefactor of this museum."

The audience applauded as a black-haired woman walked up to the podium.

"Before we officially add this find to our collection, I would like to introduce you to the brave members of the Earth Corps, the men responsible for uncovering this great item and who will be studying it."

More applause.

"First, Doctor Herc Armstrong, leader of the Earth Corps. Next to him, Doctor Derek Bright, designer of the Earth Corps' advanced exploration technology. And next to Doctor Bright is Edward Auguter, known to his friends as "Auger", the man responsible for building their suits and vehicles. After him, Dr. Jonathan M. Slattery, aka "Liquidator", master of chemistry, spelunking, and various sundry arcane sciences. And finally-"

Sandra paused.

"There's a fifth one, isn't there?"

As if on cue, the speakers set up for the event ceased to play the classical music and began to blare AC/DC. While the guests looked confusedly at each other, the last member of the Earth Corps marched up onto the stage. The guests stared at him, in no small part due to his negligence to wear a suit for the occasion, having shown up in army fatigues and cargo pants.

"I take it that's your lost one, Dr. Armstrong?" Sandra asked.

Herc nodded.

"And showing up late is one Marcus Fischer, better known as "Bombardier". His specialties include the operation of small arms, handling explosives, cooking, and combat engineering."

The final member of the Earth Corps was grinning like a goon as he walked up to the mic.

"GOOD EVENING, LADIES N' GENTS! It is my pleasure to officially present this here chunk of petrified pine resin to the Shore-"

The sound of heavy footsteps cut Bombardier off.

"The hell?" he muttered.

Screams echoed from the audience.

"What's going on around here?" he asked.

Auger walked up and tapped his cohort's shoulder.

"That, _compadre_, is what's going on around here."

Bombardier looked up and saw a colossal monster wandering out of the Bay.

"After vigintillions of years, great Cthulhu was loose again, and ravening for delight." Liquidator murmured.

"Can the Lovecraft, Slattery! We got a monster here, and we are going to kick its ass so hard it'll be wearing its buttocks like a hat!" Auger replied.

"Assuming it has an ass." Bright snarked back.

Herc cleared his throat.

"Earth Corps, suit up!"

The five men hoofed it back to a nearby APC parked in front of the museum, whereupon they opened up five lockers. Suits of powered armor flew out of them, one to a man. Armstrong's dark-green one, armed with a retractable grappling hook, was the first to be donned. Bright's, with its blue coloration and hydraulic claws, was next. The dark purple one belonged to Auger, as made evident by the drill that should have been the suit's left hand. Following that came the bulky yellow one that was used by Liquidator, its bulk justified by the back-mounted spray cannons. And finally, Bombardier threw on the camouflage-patterned one that was his. He needed no built-in suit weaponry or gear beyond the lights.

Out of the APC filed the Earth Corps, all bedecked in their exosuits.

"Alright, men. We've got to stop that thing before it tears up the city-" Herc began.

A camouflaged hand shot up.

"Yes, Bombardier?"

"Why don't we just hightail it and blow its ass to kingdom come with a couple tons of HE?"

Auger turned around and raised his drill threateningly.

"One, we don't have a clue as to what it is. Two, your HE plan might just do more damage than the monster. Three, for all we know, a couple tons of high explosives might just tickle it."

"So how do we kick its ass?" came the response.

"I'll need a sample of its tissue. Preferably a deep sample, maybe a kilo of material to run proper tests."

"Yeah, but how do we get close enough to that thing, Doc? Looks like Cthulhu knocked up a California roll."

"Bombardier, shut your trap or we'll use you as bait." Auger snapped.

"We were going to do that anyways." Bright retorted.

"Uh, guys? I think we have bigger problems." Liquidator piped up.

The team turned around and watched as the monster proceeded toward the amber monolith. It inspected the object before cracking it open like a walnut, exposing the thing within. The exposed creature awoke almost immediately, snarling and roaring.

"_D'COMPOSE!_" it bellowed.

The newly-dubbed D'Compose broke free of the remnants of the monolith and began to march out of the city.

"Herc, what's the plan?" Auger asked.

"Bombardier, you run back to the APC and get the incinerators. Liquidator, you and Derek concern yourself with getting the civilians to safety. Auger, you and I are going to get Doctor Bright his sample."

"Hear that, team?"

Silent nods were the reply.

"Move it!"

Bombardier leapt up and bolted for his target, unfortunately catching the eye of the first monster. A resounding thud rattled the ground as the creature slammed a vine-like tentacle onto the pavement below, hoping to throw the puny being off balance. While this was going on, Bright and Liquidator were going through the remains of the gala evening, occasionally dragging survivors who were pinned down to safety, while Herc and Auger made their own move towards the monster.

"Grab onto him!" the former shouted as he embedded his grappling hook into the monster's body.

Auger nodded as he revved his drill and cut into the thing's flesh. A clear and viscous substance oozed from the wound that he had inflicted as he removed the sample and jumped down onto a rooftop. Herc followed him.

"Alright, get ready to en-"

The Cthuloid monster turned around and began to march back to the sea, leaving behind five very confused men.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Aftermath

EARTH CORPS HEADQUARTERS

MODESTO, CALIFORNIA:

The Earth Corps' APC ground to a halt upon returning to the team's base. Suits were being removed bit by bit, with each man running his own checks. Once they were all out of the exosuits, the five marched into the main building.

"Alright, men. You did well tonight in Frisco. Get some sleep now- we'll discuss any future strategies over breakfast tomorrow." Herc announced.

Silent nods were the only acknowledgement as the the team began a slow march towards their rooms for the night. Sleep was the furthest thing on their minds…

The next morning, the five members of the Earth Corps sat around the dining table, each man picking at his breakfast.

"Now what? We've got two of those things running around, and we don't have any idea on how to fight them." Auger griped.

"He's got a point. We got away last night because we weren't engaged directly with either- we need a name for those things for the official reports." Herc replied.

"Call them what they are. Eldritch abominations." Liquidator piped up.

"Anyone got something less poetic?"

"Inhumanoids." was Bright's response.

Silent nods were issued from all the men.

"Okay, Inhumanoids it is. Now, if we ever fight these Inhumanoids directly, we need to know how to engage them and with what. Anyone got ideas?"

Bombardier shot his hand up.

"Yes?"

"Burn 'em real good with the throwers or any other incendiary we can get."

"Bright?"

"For once, Bombardier might have a good idea. The one that came out of San Francisco Bay did seem to be composed exclusively of plant matter, while its companion from the monolith seemed to consist of necrotic tissue. And you know that inflammable gases are a product of decay."

Liquidator shot his hand up.

"Look, we haven't got a clue as to what they are. Maybe I should go back to the forest where we found the monolith. When we went there the first time, I was getting some weird vibes."

Bright did a spit take with his coffee.

"Liquidator, what did I tell you about your so-called vibes?"

"Look, just because some of us are in tune with the univer-"

Auger rose up from his seat.

"Break it up, both of you!"

The two men sat down.

"Now, from where I stand, we've also got to track these monsters. Our verdant friend and his buddy went into the Bay, and that's where we start. Herc, you want to take the sub down?"

Herc nodded.

"Bright, I last heard that the first one came out of a drill shaft in the Terrance Oil Fields. Check out for me if you have the time." he ordered.

Bombardier shot his hand up.

"What's my job around here?"

"Watch the shop. And while you're at it, fry the sample Auger got us. Bright's got all he needs out of it."

"Right."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Trackers

The Earth Corps' submersible sat just off Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco as Herc and Auger brought it to life. Hatches sealed, engines turned on, and the air systems activated as the two men went through the procedures. Once everything was green, the vessel dove into the Bay and proceeded out into the open ocean.

"Any sign of our buddies, Auger?"

Herc was answered by a shake of the head.

"Nada. Those things pulled a Hou-"

At that moment, the sub's lights illuminated a colossal four-toed footprint in the muck, with a five-toed one nearby.

"Well, we know they were here." Herc deadpanned.

Just then, the sub's sonar unit began picking up a large object heading directly towards it.

"And they know that we're here!" came Auger's retort.

Metal walls began to bend as vine-like tentacles wrapped around the sub.

"We'll be crushed like a tin can!" Auger exclaimed.

"Correction- we're getting out of this tin can. Power suits!"

Auger snapped out of his chair, yanked his suit out of a footlocker in the back of the vehicle, and donned it. Herc did the same.

"Alright, we got one chance and four hours of air in those suits. I'm blowing the emergency hatch- NOW!"

Auger raised a panel cover and eyed a stud labeled "EMERGENCY HATCH SEPARATION- EMERGENCY USE ONLY!". He depressed the stud, and the hatch flew away as the explosive bolts that held it in place detonated. A torrent of water rushed into the submarine.

"C'mon, Herc! Let's book it!"

The two members of the Earth Corps leapt out of the sub just as the pressure of the tentacle holding it finally rendered it useless.

"Out of the frying pan…" Herc muttered under his breath as he saw the monster that had just crushed the sub turn a colossal jet-black eye towards Auger and him.

The creature dropped the remains of the sub and advanced towards them, its eldritch bleats echoing through the aqueous dun.

"Run for it!" Auger cried out.

Sudddenly, another large form emerged from the darkness. Even in the murk, Herc and Auger could make out a familiar outline.

"It's the one from the monolith!" Herc exclaimed.

The two monsters stared at the two men and advanced toward them.

"You got the flares, Herc?"

"Aye. You got the concussion grenades?"

"Yep."

"Then let's rock."

Herc threw a diver's flare into the morass and watched as the creatures recoiled from the burning light.

"Grenade out!"

Auger tossed one of the concussive charges he had been assigned with at the creatures. The ensuing shockwave seemed to inflict some discomfort upon them, giving the two Earth Corps members a window of time in which to escape.

_Here's hoping that Bright's having less trouble than us_… Herc thought as he reached the surface.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Shaft

Bright ran through the checks once more. His suit was firmly attached to the business end of the cable, which was in turn tightly wound around the drum of a winch. His suit's claws were functional, and yet he still had second thoughts about descending into the drill shaft from where one of the two monsters had emerged.

_I'm going in._

And with that, he rappelled into the shaft and into the dun-hued abyss. Down and down he went, the void darkening as he descended. Suit lights activated, and he glimpsed his surroundings.

"Bombardier, report."

"_Doc Bright? That you?_"

"Who did you think it was? One of those fetish hotlines?"

"_Okay! Now, what's with the call?_"

"I need you to get some stuff ready for the others when they get back. I'm sending you the raw video…now."

Back at Earth Corps headquarters, Bombardier watched the new footage from Bright's suit cameras with intent.

"_It's some kind of chamber…odd markings and fixtures on the walls._"

"Looks like a cell to me."

"_Yes…it does._"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Allies

Liquidator sat in the forest where the monolith had been discovered, soaking in the ambience.

"Hello? Is anybody there?"

_You should not have come back here._

Liquidator turned around.

"Who said that?"

At that moment, branches and stumps began to turn into humanoid entities.

"You humans have taken what is not yours from this forest. Now, you have unleashed an ancient horror." one of them announced.

"We don't want it anymore! You can have it!"

"One should not take what one does not want."

"I agree! I won't take as much as a pine cone from this forest again!"

One of the entities approached Liquidator.

"Your thoughts are pure. You are worthy."

"Who are you? And what do you want with me?"

"We are the guardians of this forest- the Redwoods. I am Redlen, the leader. I wish to show you the horror you have unleashed, John Slattery."

Liquidator closed his eyes and witnessed what Redlen had to show him.

_Long ago, we Redwoods aided our brothers the Granites and Magnacore in battle. Our enemies were the beings you humans call the Inhumanoids: Tendril, the ravager of land and sea. D'Compose, the undead menace and corruptor of the living. And their leader, Metlar, the cruel tyrant of the depths. Our war spanned centuries, but we defeated the Inhumanoids and contained them._

_The rays of the sun weakened D'Compose, who we entombed in amber made hard by our magic. Tendril was sealed in a cell, until he was released. And Metlar remains contained within the bowels of the Earth, imprisoned with the aid of Magnacore. But we fear that Tendril and D'Compose will free him, aided by certain men who seek to harness what they do not know._

Liquidator's eyes shot open.

"We will fight the Inhumanoids, Redlen."

"Oh boy, another loony."

Liquidator looked and saw a park ranger shaking his head.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: High and Dry

TWO WEEKS LATER:

"Senator Masterson, we need more funding for Earth Corps."

The Senator looked at Herc with distaste.

"Doctor Armstrong, look at it from my perspective. Earth Corps has so far been a net loss for the government, and you've given us no reason for an increase in funding. In fact, I haven't seen a reason to continue funding Earth Corps with federal money, and you know the public's stance on this sort of thing."

"Mas-"

"Armstrong, we're cutting our losses- and your funding! As of right now, you're either going to need to find another schmuck willing to bankroll this sinkhole of grant money or go out of business permanently!"

"Senat-"

"You may leave, Doctor."

"Hear me out, Senator."

"I said for you to leave, Doctor Armstrong."

"Look, the public's going to like giant monster attacks even less than a money sink. You've got nothing to lose by bankrolling us-"

"Security!"

Two security guards walked to the office.

"Take this man out of the building! And if he tries to get back in, you can shoot him!"

The other members of Earth Corps were waiting outside the building where Masterson had his office when Herc was thrown out by the guards.

"And stay out!" one of them yelled.

Meanwhile, back in Masterson's office, a man with an eyepatch emerged from the nearest room.

"Senator, your campaign contribution." he muttered as he handed Masterson a check.

"Anything else, Mister Shore?"

"Call me Blackthorne, and yes, I need you to do something. I need the schematics for the Earth Corps exosuits."

Masterson handed Shore a flash drive.

"Schematics are on here. Guess it doesn't matter now."

Back at Earth Corps headquarters, the team was still reeling from the news.

"Old bastard Masterson cut our funding…I'm going to get that SOB!" Bombardier muttered.

"Take a number." Auger replied.

Just then, the doorbell went off.

"Come in." Liquidator murmured into a nearby intercom.

The door opened, and Sandra Shore walked in.

"I believe we've met, Miss Shore." Herc began.

"We have. I heard about your loss of funding-"

"Look, unless you're willing to bankroll our operations, you're not helping." Auger interjected.

"That's why I'm here. I'm willing to fund Earth Corps under one condition."

"What?" Bright asked.

"If you want funding, then you're going to have to make me part of your team."

Silence spread across the room.

"Welcome to the Earth Corps, Miss Shore." Herc announced.

Bright leapt up from his seat and pinned Herc against a wall.

"Have you taken leave of your senses? She hasn't undergone any training, nor do we have an exploration suit for her-"

"We can build the suit using Bombardier's as the basis. And Bombardier himself can give her the training."

Bright eased up and took his seat again.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Descent

SIX WEEKS LATER:

Sandra Shore looked at her new reflection. While she had been reasonably fit prior to joining Earth Corps, she now resembled a trooper: lean, muscular, and ready to bring the fight to the foe. Her exosuit lay against the wall, its sleek lines giving it the appearance of an old sci-fi spacesuit.

At the nearby Shore-Tech engineering facility, Bright and Auger looked over the Earth Corps' new vehicles. The first was the Terra Scout, a light vehicle designed for a crew of two. It looked like the unnatural spawn of a tank and a steamroller, but it was supposed to be effective. The other was the Trappeur, which looked like a tank with a crane-mounted claw on the top. Besides the claw, it also possessed a grappling hook for lifting, dragging, tying, and scaling up inclines.

That night, the six members of the Earth Corps sat around the dining table, each picking at their dinner.

"Now what?" Liquidator asked.

Sandra cleared her throat.

"I say we take the fight to these Inhumanoids."

Silence settled over the team.

"Anyone opposed to that?"

Bright's hand shot up.

"We still don't know what they can do. In addition, we have yet to field-test the new vehicles-"

"Bright, can it and mix up something in a test tube! I agree with Sandra- we're going to fight those things sooner or later, and I'd rather be bringing it to them now than holing up in here when they pop back up!" Auger interrupted.

"We got the tools- we got the talent!" Bombardier added.

Herc cleared his throat.

"Well, a mission would be ideal for testing the Terra Scout and Trappeur in field conditions. And I still want payback against the one that Liquidator's taken to calling Tendril for smashing up the mini-sub." he announced.

Liquidator rose from his seat.

"We unleashed these things upon the world. I feel that we have an obligation to do something about it. Count me in on this one, guys."

Bright clenched his fists in a silent fury.

"It's settled. We're going underground tomorrow morning at eight-thirty. Preparation begins now. Bombardier, you and Sandra do equipment and suit prep. Auger, you and Liquidator do vehicle prep. Bright and I are going to do loading operations. Any questions?"

"No, Herc."

"Well then, let's move."

The following four hours went smoothly as the team went about their tasks. In the armory, Sandra and Bombardier began servicing the team's gear and suits. The latter had been assigned to equipment preparation, since issues involving equipment could probably remedied in the field with greater ease than a suit suffering a subsystem failure. Firearms were stripped, cleaned, and reassembled. Flamethrowers underwent a similar procedure.

While Bombardier serviced the team's weapons and gear, Sandra did the same with the suits. Hydraulic, pneumatic, and motorized systems were inspected, cleared of dirt and dust, and checked again. These processes continued until the two went to bed.

The next morning, at 6 AM, the team woke up for a perfunctory breakfast before donning their suits. Herc led them to the vehicle bay, mentally calling out a cadence.

"All personnel to the Trappeur- we're towing the Terra Scout until we get beneath the surface." he announced as they entered the bay.

Silence was the only reply as the team boarded the larger vehicle. Herc and Auger slid into the driver's seats, while everyone else fastened their restraining harnesses.

"Anyone got anything to say?" Sandra asked.

"We're on an express elevator to Hell- going down!" Bombardier shouted.

The Trappeur's engines roared to life, and the vehicle rolled out into the desert. Fifteen minutes passed before it stopped.

"What the-"

Herc's voice came over the intercom.

"_Earth Corps, this is where we go in. Local landmark- a cave called Boca del Diablo. If anyone wants to turn back, then do so now. Anyone who doesn't want to go in doesn't have to._"

Auger walked into the passenger cabin.

"Anybody want to go back to HQ?" he asked, his voice exuding sincere concern.

"We've come this far, Auger. I want to see those things _burn_ at our hands." Liquidator replied, his voice exuding uncharacteristic anger.

Nods affirmed the answer, and Auger left for the driver's cab.

"_Alright, let's go. Bright, you and Liquidator man the Terra Scout. Everybody else- stay buckled up._" Herc ordered.

Bright and Liquidator slipped out of their harnesses and manned the smaller vehicle.

"_Earth Corps- roll out!_" Auger exclaimed over the suit links once the Terra Scout was detached from the tow cable.

The two vehicles proceeded into the depths of the cave. As the Trappeur moved forward, one of the passengers began to feel the grasp of fear.

"Sandra, you're not looking too good." Bombardier piped up.

"Just nerves." came the retort.

In the Trappeur's cab, Herc and Auger watched as sunlight gave way to a jet-black abyss.

"Switch on the floods, Auger."

Two colossal floodlights lit up on the Trappeur, while the Terra Scout contributed its own lights.

"Any sign of our friends, Bright?" Auger asked over the suit link.

"_Nothing yet. But I'm starting to- hold up, I think I see a footprint!_"

The two vehicles ground to a halt as Bright and Liquidator exited the Terra Scout.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Attack of D'Compose

"It's not one of Tendril's tracks." Liquidator announced.

"Then who or what made it?" Auger retorted.

As if on cue, a beeping noise echoed through the cavern.

"Guys, we got a big signal on the tracker. 50 meters and closing." Bombardier announced.

"Get back to the vehicles!" Herc ordered over the suit links.

"Why? For all we know, it could be an underground river-" Bright began.

"30 meters!"

"But rivers don't move like that."

"20! Where the hell's it coming from, man?"

"Get to the vehicles- now!"

"15 meters! 10!"

At that moment, the cavern floor burst open, and the hulking form of D'Compose loomed large over the Earth Corps.

"Battle formations!"

Bombardier reached for his flamethrower and depressed the firing stud. Immediately, a jet of burning gas discharged from the unit, and D'Compose recoiled from the fire that lapped at his ankles.

"That's right! Run for it!" Bombardier whooped as the monster ran back through the hole in the cavern floor, retreating back into the depths.

"So now what?" Sandra asked.

"_We follow it. Bright, take a look the portal that our undead friend left behind. I want to know how deep it is and if there's anything even resembling a shaft we can drive down._" Herc announced.

Bright nodded and removed a survey tool from his suit's utility belt. The device was small, boxy, and heavily armored, and could be used to conjure the data needed to draw a crude but effective map of the user's surroundings by way of laser beams and ground-penetrating radar.

In the Trappeur, Herc watched as the necessary information materialized on his workstation's screen. The entryway created by D'Compose had apparently been dug through layer upon layer of rock as if by a mole with a pneumatic drill.

"Thank you, Bright. You've been a big help, and now we're going in."

Bright resumed his position on the Terra Scout, and watched as the Trappeur went down the hole.

"Liquidator, get driving." he grumbled.

In the Trappeur, Herc and Auger worked in unison to maneuver the vehicle through the twisting warren that had been left by D'Compose. Proximity sensors, rangefinders, and a pair of xenon headlights aided in navigation.

"How deep does this rabbit hole go?" Auger muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, Auger's question was answered when the Trappeur made a final turn and entered a colossal cavern.

"The hell is that?" Bombardier muttered upon witnessing the cavern through his suit's video link.

The scene before them was one that could drive a softer mind mad. The cavern's walls were covered with eldritch resins and fungus, the inky blackness only broken by sparse blue-green patches of luminescence. And in that dun-hued abyss, there lay the mighty Tendril.

"Forget about us going to Hell for this- we're as good as there!" Bombardier yelled.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Into the Fire

Tendril rose from his position and moved with astonishing speed towards the Earth Corps. In response, the Trappeur made a violent turn to evade the charging monster. In the passenger compartment, Sandra and Bombardier were buffeted around, kept in place only by the restraining harnesses. Loose equipment flew from overhead racks and crashed upon the floor.

"Terra Scout, engage!" Herc yelled into the radio as one of Tendril's pillar-sized legs impacted near the Trappeur.

From his seat on the Terra Scout, Bright aimed the vehicle's laser cutter at Tendril and fired a beam capable of slicing a boulder into fragments at his target. As if struck by a bolt of lightning, Tendril staggered, the strike site marked by a smoldering wound.

"Got him."

Tendril roared and turned his attention to the Terra Scout, charging towards it. Liquidator swerved to avoid the pillar-like legs charging at him, narrowly missing the Trappeur.

"_Earth Corps- we are leaving!_" Herc shouted over the suit links.

The two vehicles sped into the murk as Tendril pursued them. In the driver's compartment of the Trappeur, Herc and Auger had their eyes glued to the rangefinder. Before them stood an entrance to another cavern that was conveniently shorter than the monster.

"Punch it, Auger!" Herc ordered.

The Trappeur's engine roared as the vehicle raced towards the portal, while the Terra Scout closely followed. Within minutes, both vehicles were inside the cavern.

"We made it. That thing isn't dumb enough-"

Before Auger could finish, the sound of Tendril colliding with a rock wall echoed throughout the caverns.

"He is."

As if on cue, a large vine-like tentacle approached the Earth Corps. Suddenly, a beam of laser light cut through the tentacle, causing Tendril to bellow in pain and end his attack.

"_Good thinking, Derek!_" Auger announced over the suit links.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Auger." Bright snarked back.

In the Trappeur, Sandra and Bombardier sighed in relief as the realization of their escaping the monster sat in. Juste then, Herc's voice came over the intercom.

"_Earth Corps, move out._"

The team proceeded into the dun-hued depths of the Earth, wondering if there was any further ancient evil that lay within in that fiery abyss where nightmares begin.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Out Of The Frying Pan

The Trappeur's passenger compartment was filled with a solemn silence as the vehicle trundled deeper through the caves and tunnels that crossed through the Earth. Neither Sandra nor Bombardier had expected to be running from the monsters. Suddenly, the Trappeur swerved into another large cavern. Fortunately, no Inhumanoid forms lay in wait for them this time. Instead, the cavern floor was strewn by boulders.

In the driver's cab, Herc and Auger marveled the scene.

"I'll go get you and Bright some samples." Auger muttered as he undid his restraints and prepared to exit the vehicle.

A pair of high-powered suit lights pierced the darkness of the cavern as Auger ventured forth.

"_Anything interesting about the boulders?_" Herc asked.

Auger ventured over to one.

"Looks like some kind of amalgamation of granite and slate. I'm going to drill through now."

Auger revved his suit's drill and put it to the boulder. Immediately, the boulder shot off the ground and assumed a humanoid form.

"Sorry about the drill. I just didn't expect you to be…well, alive." Auger pleaded.

Suddenly, the cavern floor opened up as D'Compose burst through it.

"_AUGER! GET BACK TO THE TRAPPEUR!_"

Auger was paralyzed by sheer terror as the monster loomed over him.

"_AUGER! DO YOU READ ME?_"

In the cab, Herc's orders to Auger were met by silence. Just then, a readout appeared on his station's workscreen.

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DOOR OPENED.

SANDRA SHORE HAS LEFT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT_._

Outside the Trappeur, Sandra ran towards Auger.

"Auger, do you read me?"

"_Sandra? Is that you?_"

"Who do you think it is? Herc needs you back in the Trappeur ASAP!"

"_Easier said than done. I'm pinned down by our old buddy D'Compose_."

"I'll distract him. Now move it!"

Sandra broke into a full sprint as she approached D'Compose. Auger took the hint and bolted back to the Trappeur.

"Yeah! Come and get me!" Sandra shouted.

In her taunting of D'Compose, Sandra failed to notice she was backing up towards a rock. She fell backwards, and was soon staring up at the monster.

"_Sandra! Move it!_" Auger ordered over her suit link.

"I've turned turtle! I'm going to need help in getting up!"

D'Compose leaned in to get a full view of Sandra.

"Take this." she muttered as she grabbed a magnesium flare.

As the flare lit, D'Compose staggered backwards and indadvertedly scratched Sandra, his claw cutting a gash in her suit. What happened next was an event that none of its witnesses would ever forget, one that no mind, no matter how warped, could ever fully imagine.

Sandra began to grow taller and taller. As she gained height, she burst from her suit as if it were a tin can. All the while, her body was racked by some eldritch necrosis as portions of her flesh disintegrated to reveal bone, while her skin jaundiced. Her eyes turned blood red, and horns grew from the top of her head. The scene was something that only Bosch could have conceived of, and only then if he was on some form of hallucinogenic drugs.

"I AM ONE WITH D'COMPOSE!" the former Sandra exclaimed.

Herc closed his eyes as he brought the Trappeur to as a high a speed as possible and drove it into the winding tunnels ahead.

_They say that you should know your enemy. Frankly, this is one case where ignorance is bliss._ he thought.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Into The Fire

In the passenger compartment, Bombardier had assumed the fetal position.

"It isn't right, man! It just isn't right!" he blubbered as Auger walked past.

"Bombardier, calm down." he ordered.

"We've got to get out of here, man! We'll come back, bring the army, blow these bastards to pieces. Sandra, what'd they do to you? It ain't right what they did to her! Turned her into one of them, man! That's the only thing they could've done to her! Why didn't we do something?"

"Marcus, cool it."

Bombardier looked up at Auger. In his one hand was a handkerchief.

"There wasn't anything we could do for Sandra. Hell, I'd have been a goner if it weren't for her."

Bombardier blew his nose and put the handkerchief into one of pouches on his suit's utility belt.

"Why? Why'd they do that her, man? Why?"

"I don't know. But I agree that it isn't right. We've got to do something."

The Trappeur rounded another bend and another humongous cavern materialized.

"If this is Hell, then Dante had it wrong." Herc muttered to himself.

The cavern floor was dominated by a fiery lake of molten sulfur. Standing in the middle of it was a colossal being that was thrashing around in rage.

"That must be their head honcho Metlar." Liquidator whispered to no one in particular.

The Trappeur drove down the rock face and closer to the cavern proper. On the shores of the lake stood a man in what looked like one of the Earth Corps' exosuits, except it was bafflingly colored jet black.

"The hell are you?" Herc asked as he exited the Trappeur.

The man turned.

"My name is Blackthorne Shore. And you will soon kneel before me and my personal enforcer Metlar."

"Good luck. Last I checked, this guy's underlings turned one of my team into one of their own-"

"Silence! I have studied the Inhumanoids for years! It was they who served as the basis for myth and legend! With them at my side, I shall rule!"

"Word of advice- don't call up that which you cannot put back down."

Just then, Herc found himself immobilized.

"You're really dim, aren't you? The same thing that keeps Metlar here from getting out of this lake of fire keeps you from moving too."

Herc watched on in horror as Blackthorne Shore fired an energy beam from his suit's weapons at a flying entity above Metlar. As the beam made contact, Herc felt his suit become mobile again.

"We're dead."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Hell In A Handbasket

Herc sprinted towards the Trappeur as Metlar's roars filled the air. Globs of molten sulfur soared through the air as the monster waded out of the lake.

"Auger, hold your position!"

In the Trappeur, Auger heard Herc's order.

"Sorry to break orders, Herc, but I'm going in."

The vehicle roared to life and began charging forward. Bombardier closed his eyes as Auger drove closer and closer to Metlar. A _CLANG!_ was heard as Herc grappled onto the Trappeur and entered through a top hatch.

"Auger, I told you-"

"Look, I just saved your life. If you'd prefer, I can let you back out…"

"Never mind. Let's just get out of here."

The Trappeur raced back to the cavern entrance. As if on cue, Metlar threw a boulder at the entrance, thus sealing them up.

"Terra Scout, start digging!" Auger shouted into the radio.

Shortly after Auger's order, the other Inhumanoids entered.

"Roll for it!" Herc exclaimed.

As Earth Corps escaped through the newly created tunnel, Tendril sent one of his vines into the shaft, working its way underneath the Trappeur. The vehicle flipped over and went tumbling into a side shaft. The Terra Scout continued onwards.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Granites

The Terra Scout braked to a halt some time later.

"Liquidator, are you all right?" Bright asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

The two men dismounted their vehicle.

"Any idea of what happened to Herc and the others, Bright?"

"I'd say they're dead. As of now, we are the last remaining members of Earth Corps."

"What do we do now? We can't go back and fight those things, we can't just leave Herc and the others down here and go back to the surface, and even if we could just leave them, we have no idea where we are."

Bright paused for thought.

"I can't help but think about that rock Auger went to check out when we were ambushed by D'Compose. If I didn't know any better, I could swear it came to life…"

As if on cue, the two men soon found themselves surrounded by humanoids made out of rock.

"Friend or foe?" one of them asked.

"Friend." Bright stammered.

Liquidator cleared his throat.

"We come not for you, O mighty Granites-" he began.

One of them stepped forward.

"How do you know what we're called?" it asked.

"Your brother Mutores, the Redwoods, have told me of your war against the Inhumanoids."

"Fleshling, how do you know of the Inhumanoids?"

"I am a human. My name is John Slattery, but I am called Liquidator."

"Very well, Liquidator. But you didn't answer my question-"

Bright cleared his throat.

"My name is Derek Bright, and we know of the Inhumanoids because we found one. We didn't know what it was at the time, but now we want it and its friends dead."

The Granite stepped forward.

"I am Granok, leader of the Granites. You are now friends of my people. We shall aid you in your war."

Both Liquidator and Bright sighed in relief.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Battle Plans

Herc's eyes fluttered open as he surveyed the Trappeur's passenger compartment. His head was surrounded by a bandage, and Auger was standing over him.

"What happened?"

"We got rammed, that's what. Also, a survey tool hit you right across the noggin on the way down."

Herc winced as he felt the wound.

"Where's Bombardier?"

"Out fixing the Trappeur."

As if on cue, the passenger compartment door opened and Bombardier marched in. In his hand was a miniature arc welder, the smell of ozone still rising from the leads.

"Transaxle's good to go."

Herc staggered to his feet, only to be pinned down by Auger.

"Easy there. You're not going anywhere for a few more hours."

"It takes two to drive this thing, and I don't think Bombardier's qualified."

Auger heaved his shoulders in irritation as Herc rose from the impromptu bed that Bombardier had made and walked into the driver's cab.

Meanwhile, at the Granites' city, Bright and Liquidator stood before an assembly of their newfound allies.

"Friends, Granites, warriors, lend me your ears. I come to ask for aid, not to praise you. One of our own party has been corrupted by D'Compose, and we seek a way to cure her. If you know of a way, tell my comrade and I."

There was whispering among the assembled Granites. Finally, Granok approached the two Earth Corps personnel.

"There is a way, but it will not be easy. The creature must be exposed to whiteburn." he announced.

"Whiteburn?" Bright asked.

"Yes. The force that turns water into air, black into light, and cold into warm."

"Must be their name for sunlight." Liquidator whispered.

Bright nodded, setting his suit mic into the active position by doing so.

"Bright to Trappeur. Come in, Trappeur."

"_Trappeur to Bright. Herc speaking. Where the hell are you and Liquidator?_"

"We're in an underground city controlled by some race called the Granites. Don't worry, they're friendly."

"_Good to know that they're on our side, but would they know any way of getting Sandra back to normal?_"

"Expose her to sunlight."

"_Easier said than done. First, we've got to find her._"

"You do that. I'll head back to the surface myself. I don't think the Inhumanoids are done up there yet."

"_Try to arrange transport with our new friends. Trappeur out._"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: I Am The Cure

In the Trappeur, Herc, Auger, and Bombardier sat impatiently.

"Any ideas on how to find Sandra?" Herc asked.

"Her PDT. Check to see if we're still getting the feed from that." Auger answered.

Herc pulled out a PDA and examined it.

"I'm getting the signal. Looks like it's about two hundred feet above us."

"Phase one complete." Auger snarked.

"But how do we lure-" Herc began.

"Sound 'n light show. We go in with everything: battle sirens, strobes, sodium lights, flamethrowers, cherry bombs, rock 'n roll." Bombardier interrupted.

Herc shot his cohort a dirty look.

"I'm with Bombardier on this one. We go in like that, we'll get her attention."

"If that's the case, then let's roll out."

The Trappeur roared to life as Herc started the engines. On his station's screen, a pulsating red dot occupied the center.

"Anyone want to put forth some music suggestions?" he asked.

Silence.

"Bombardier, let's starting ringing Hell's bells."

The monster that had been Sandra Shore paced the cavern floor as she waited for her creator to return. All of a sudden, a rock face broke apart as the Trappeur rolled into the same cavern. Flashing lights and a wailing siren assaulted the monster's senses.

"DIE!" she screamed.

The Trappeur shifted gears and shot off like a rocket as it raced towards the surface, with the monster in hot pursuit. Up and up they went, racing through tunnels and caverns, the Trappeur always staying slightly ahead.

"Are we close enough, Auger?" Herc asked after some time.

"Just about!"

Herc and Auger slammed on the brakes as the mutated Sandra approached.

"Kill the lights and sirens." Herc ordered.

The cacophony of light and sound ended.

"Now."

Auger grinned.

"Time to fill your dark soul with _liiiiight!_" he shouted.

The Trappeur's claw rose up and punched a hole through the soft ground above it. Immediately, the immediate area was bathed in the rays of the sun. The mutated Sandra was paralyzed as D'Compose's corruption was dispelled, restoring her to normal.

"Always wanted to say that." Auger snarked, a goofy grin plastered across his face.

"Nice to know, chromedome." Herc retorted.

Auger chuckled at his old friend's good-natured insult before realizing that Sandra was back to normal.

"Bombardier, go help Sandra. She's better now."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Gone Home

"How do you feel, Sandra?" Herc asked.

"Lousy. The last thing I can remember is D'Compose scratching me…after that, it was like some kind of nightmare." Sandra answered, her modesty protected solely by a cotton gown.

"Rest easy, Miss Shore. We're going back to base shortly."

Just then, the Terra Scout rounded a corner.

"Funny. I don't recall you ever saying you'd wait for us." Bright snarked.

"I wasn't anticipating to. Nor was I expecting Liquidator to go with you." Herc retorted over the radio.

"_Someone had to drive this thing._" came the reply.

"Alright, Earth Corps. We're calling it a day on this operation."

"_But the Inhumanoids_-" Liquidator began.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Unless they're especially fast, then we can probably come back for them later. Meantime, we've got personal and mechanical maintenance to do. Herc out."

And with that, the two vehicles made their way back to headquarters.

"_Faster than a bullet/terrifying scream/enraged and full of anger/he's half man and half machine_-" Bombardier sang as he showered.

"Excuse me, but has anyone seen some spare clothes lying around?" Sandra asked just outside the shower.

"Ask Herc. He'll give you your uniform." Bombardier answered.

"Thanks."

As Sandra walked away, Bombardier resumed singing.

OLENEGORSK, RUSSIA:

Artyom Rabinovich stood on watch. It was moderately warm that night, but there was something off. His guard dog was whimpering for no apparent reason.

_For the love of God, let something happen_-

At that moment, a towering form burst from the ground. In the soldier's eyes, it resembled an undead giant bipedal dinosaur.

"_Sukin syn!_" he shouted.

Alarms blared as the monster marched towards the base. Before the defenses could be readied, they were quite literally crushed beneath its tread. A large taloned finger cut through the roof of the barracks and scratched each man it touched.

"D'COMPOSE!" the monster shouted.

Suddenly, at least fifty twisted parodies of men emerged from the barracks, drawing the fire of their former brothers in arms.

THE NEXT MORNING:

"_In related news, the Russian government is considering court-martialing one Colonel Anatoly Kiev. The colonel has been accused of dereliction of duty following the sudden disappearance of high-explosive seismic warheads from a Russian military base near the Russo-Finn-Swedish border-_"

The television screen shattered as a steel-toed boot collided with it.

"Well, there goes another one." Bright snarked.

"Any day now, they're going to give us one of these sets for free." Auger retorted.

"It's coming out of your paycheck."

Just then, the phone rang.

"Earth Corps Headquarters, Herc Armstrong speaking. Oh, so now you're giving us our funding back? Well, we already have a new source of funding, Senator. Goodbye, Masterson."

Herc slammed the receiver back into its cradle when it rang again.

"Senator-"

"_Doctor Armstrong, I presume_?" a Russian-accented voice asked.

"Who is this, and where'd you get our number?"

"_I am Colonel Anatoly Kiev, and I have something to tell you._"

"I'm listening."

"_The warheads were stolen by something resembling an undead Tyrannosaurus with a hinged ribcage. I should know- I saw him take the warheads and stuff them in his chest cavity._"

"Funny story- we've seen your undead dinosaur before."

"_In that case, meet me in Washington, D.C._ _I have a proposition for you._"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Seismic bombs are an actual form of ordinance. Basically, they're just really powerful bombs with armored tips that penetrate the ground. When they explode, the resulting shockwave is roughly equivalent to a miniature earthquake.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Countdown To Doomsday, Part 1

WASHINGTON, D.C:

The Earth Corps were assembled around a table, accompanied by Colonel Kiev, Blackthorne Shore, and Senator Masterson.

"Why'd you bring Eyepatch here, Masterson?" Auger bellowed.

Bright and Liquidator grabbed onto their comrade and forced him back into his chair.

"To answer Mister Augutter's question, I came here because I know what the Inhumanoids are up to." Blackthorne spoke up.

"Enlighten us." Liquidator muttered.

"They plan to use the stolen warheads to trigger earthquakes along major fault lines. We're talking destruction of biblical proportions."

"And how are we going to stop them?" Herc asked.

Colonel Kiev stood up.

"We go from hotspot to hotspot and disarm the warheads that way."

"One problem, Colonel. If those things can go from southern California to western Russia in less than a day, we're not going to have time to disarm all the warheads!" Auger shouted.

"A point well made, Mister Augutter. That is why we are going to split into teams."

Liquidator gestured for the colonel to continue.

"How much time do we have?" Sandra asked.

"One hundred and sixty eight hours."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Countdown to Doomsday, Part 2

SAN ANDREAS FAULT, CALIFORNIA:

"Any sign of our missing warheads, Bombardier?"

"_That's a big negative, Auger. No si-_"

Bombardier's suit link cut to screams of horror as something dragged him down.

"Marcus! Speak to me!" Auger shouted into the comm.

An evil eldritch laugh resonated through the Trappeur.

"_So, Earth Corps. We meet again._"

"Who is this?"

"_I am Metlar, master of the Inhumanoids and ruler of Infernac-_"

A buzzing noise cut Metlar off.

"-_and my new lackey!_" a distinctly human voice cried out.

"Blackthorne." Herc muttered.

"_Ding ding ding! Give the man a prize!_"

As if on cue, Metlar's colossal hands clutched onto the Trappeur and the Terra Scout and dragged them down into the abyss. Down and down they went, until the forms of Tendril and D'Compose materialized at the bottom. At their feet was Blackthorne Shore, clad in his power armor.

"Glad you could make it."

The Trappeur's passenger door opened, and Anatoly Kiev stormed out.

"What do you want with us?" he demanded.

"I need you out of my way."

"Why?"

"I command these things, and they're going to bring me the world on a silver platter."

"Continue."

At that moment, the colonel was swept off his feet and thrown into D'Compose's chest.

"Take him and the others to Skellweb for processing." Shore ordered.

D'Compose snarled and prepared to strike, but suddenly reared away as Shore shone a high-intensity light in his face.

"Do it."

Tendril extended his vines into the Trappeur and drew out Herc, Bright, Auger, and Sandra, while another set drew Liquidator from the Terra Scout.

"Let go of me!" one of them shouted.

Suddenly, small thorns poked into their suits, and overwhelming bliss took them as some unknown fluid coursed through their veins.

SOME HOURS LATER:

Auger awakened to find his limbs bound and the rest of him attached to what looked like a cavern floor.

"The hell?"

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw what appeared to be medieval buildings. The reek of the grave and the charnel house nearly overpowered him as he struggled to break free.

"Anybody there?"

Thunderous footsteps sounded as D'Compose appeared.

"You've got to be kidding me."

The monster eyed Auger.

"Join me…" he whispered.

"In your dreams!" Auger snapped.

D'Compose punched a finger into several small rectangular buildings, and there came from them an army of the undead. Medieval knights, Roman legionaries, Greek hoplites, Gaelic berserkers, soldiers of the Great War, samurai, and cavalrymen atop their steeds poured out of the charnel houses.

"Now…you will be made one of us. You will be one with D'Compose!"

Auger revved his suit's drill and cut himself loose, dodging D'Compose's feet as he ran.

"Liquidator! Use your magic or something!" he shouted.

Liquidator perked up upon hearing Auger's orders.

"_Höllenfeur_!" he shouted.

Immediately, his free hand glowed with arcane fire, and the flames lapped the undead army. The dry, mummified tissue ignited with ease, and acrid smoke filled the air. Shortly thereafter, the others felt their bonds slacken.

"Doctor Armstrong, do you have any advice?" Colonel Kiev asked as he staggered to his feet.

"Run." Herc answered over the suit links.

Taking their leader's order, the Earth Corps fled the eldritch domain of D'Compose before its owner did something about his now flaming army.

"Now that was a close one." Bombardier muttered.

Just then, something caught Herc's eye.

"I think we just found the missing warheads." he announced.

The assembled team turned around and saw a pile of discarded seismic bombs, all stacked haphazardly.

"Bombardier, you and Colonel Kiev get to work."

The two men nodded as they approached the pile.

"Nipped that one in the bud-"

Just then, a rock went flying through the air and bounced off Auger's suit.

"What the-"

Out of the shadows emerged Blackthorne Shore, still clad in his suit.

"I thought I told D'Compose to scatter those bombs!" he exclaimed.

"Alright, Eyepatch. You're going to tell us how to disarm these things, or we feed you to your undead crony." Auger snarled.

Just then, Auger felt his suit seize up as Blackthorne triggered his suit's magnets.

"Doctor Armstrong, I have an idea." Kiev piped up.

"_Explain._"

"Get Mister Shore close to me and Bombardier. His magnets might just disable the trigger mechanism on the warheads."

As if in response to the colonel's idea, Blackthorne shut off his suit's magnets.

"You can't possibly disarm those things, Earth Corps. In a matter of hours, the Pacific coast is going to experience one of the strongest quakes in history." he gloated.

Suddenly, Magnokor broke through a rock wall.

"We have come for Metlar!" he bellowed.

"Good to hear, but could you bail us out and disarm these things while you're at it?" Herc asked.

Magnokor split into two entities that were identical in every regard but coloration.

"We must contain Metlar!" the red one exclaimed.

"Pyre, we can disarm the devices that the fleshlings-"

"Forget them! Metlar is the highest priority!"

"Hate to break it to you, but Metlar's not with-"

As if on cue, Metlar broke through another rock wall.

"Now, my brother Pyre, we can both disarm the machines and contain Metlar!"

"Very well, Crygen…"

The two fused back into Magnokor. Suddenly, a powerful magnetic field encompassed the warheads, Metlar, and the surrounding humans. Within seconds, Earth Corps, Colonel Kiev and Blackthorne Shore were sent flying backwards and upwards. Above them, both the Trappeur and the Terra Scout were also sent upwards, until finally all were back on the surface.

"I…cannot believe it. The plan was actually foiled." Colonel Kiev stammered.

Auger turned to Blackthorne Shore and revved his drill.

"You ungrateful son of a-"

Sandra removed her helmet and walked up to her brother.

"You've finally gone and done it. As soon as I can find the paperwork, you're going to Patton State Hospital."

"For what?"

"Off the top of my head, I can think of several reasons." Bright piped up.

"You wouldn't dare."

Liquidator stared out into the setting sun.

"Guys? I can feel something. It's like the Inhumanoids have been contained once again." he announced.

Colonel Kiev turned around and approached Herc.

"I must now return to my home country. I thank you, Doctor Armstrong."

Herc handed a small phone-like device to the colonel.

"What is this?"

"Earth Corps communicator. If you ever need us again, just call."


End file.
